It Gets Better
by xxmariel
Summary: AU: Beckett and Castle meet in a different way, but are still drawn together by a murder.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or its characters. But I love em! And have borrowed them.**

**A/N: Sooo I wrote a terrible Bones fic in high school, and have been bitten by the fanfiction bug again… this time with Castle. **

**This story is AU, and I don't think many stories follow its plot line. It may seem like it at first, but believe me, there are a ton of twists and turns, and coincidences coming.**

**I'll warn you, I usually finish the fic completely before starting to post. However, 13 chapters into this one, and it's nowhere near done. So I'm taking a risk (craaazy person) and posting the first chapter because I am just SO EXCITED FOR THIS FIC!*amillionexclamationpoints**

**This means:**

**REVIEWSSS! I need to be motivated to write, especially since I am a fulltime college student / singer/songwriter in town who gigs / internet junkie / summer camp counselor full time. I love writing (I'm a Creative Writing major for crying out loud), but any motivation would be great, and the best way for you to motivate me is to review and tell me what you think. The other advantage to this compared to my other story is this fic is not finished, so if you give me suggestions, I can work it in if it fits. Win/Win!**

**So I've got 13 Chapters (posting because I just had an epiphany of the title in the 13****th**** chapter), 36 word pages, 15,000+ words, and I've written 7 chapters in a row tonight. I'm on a roll! Sooo if you like it and want more, REVIEW!**

**Longest A/N ever. I'm new to the fandom and nervous, forgive me.**

**One last thing, if you want to contact me, my tumblr and twitter are in my profile.**

**Enjoy!**

**3 m**

**A/N2: Crap I forgot to explain, this story has 3 parts planned. 2 for sure. So here's Part I: Chapter I**

**It Gets Better**

Part I

Chapter 1

The club was packed, with the distinct smell of sweat and a warm rush of body heat. Detective Beckett, or Kate as the situation called for, rolled her eyes as she lost sight of her friend Lanie in the crowd. She turned nonchalantly to the bar, collapsing on one of the stools and looking disgustedly at a smug looking man looking her up and down. She tried to avoid eye contact, but he didn't seem to get the hint. She felt a presence beside her a moment later.

"Hi," he breathed. His breath smelled of alcohol and a little bit like garlic. Ignoring him, she got up from the stool and made her way to the dance floor. She was disappointed to feel him following behind her.

"Wanna dance?"

"No, thank you," she spat. Where had Lanie gone?

"You know, you have gorgeous eyes, has anyone ever told you that?" She scoffed in reply.

"No, actually, you're the first one."

"Really?" he asked, hopeful. She shook her head and scanned the crowd, looking for her friend's dark hair.

"I was being sarcastic," she said dryly, and pushed away from him. Unexpectedly, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her flush against him body.

"Excuse me-" she started, but he interrupted.

"Look, you're hot, I'm hot, so let's fuck," the man said, sneering. She felt bile rising in her throat.

"If you don't let me go in 5 seconds-"

"Oh, you think I'm scared of a little thing like you? Come _on_ baby-" the terrible breath was knocked from his chest as she whirled around and he found himself flat on his back.

"Do _not _call me 'baby,'" she hissed and walked away into the small crowd that was gathering around the shocked injured man.

She stalked over to the bar again and muttered, "Jackass," under her breath. She felt a presence beside her again and almost screamed in frustration. However, when she turned her head she was relieved to see a different man sitting beside her. He had soft, brown hair and a gorgeous smile. He was quite attractive in her eyes, but then she noticed he was smirking at her.

"What?" she snapped, but he just smiled wider.

"He totally deserved it." She laughed a little, a throaty, seductive laugh. The man continued, "that was definitely _the _worst pick up line I've ever heard." She smirked and looked straight at him, but he was casually taking a sip from his martini glass.

"You hear a lot of them, do you?"

"Actually, yes. Hang around this god forsaken club long enough and you will too. Though I'm sure you'll hear much more than I will. You see, I'm not a beautiful woman. I am, however, a ruggedly handsome man," he winked at her, and she groaned.

'If you end that thought with "let's fuck"…"

"Oh no, I have much more class than that. Besides, the last woman I fed that line to slapped me, though I have to say that didn't hurt as much as what you did to that guy back there…" She looked back to see the man still on the floor, pushing away a few bros who were trying to help him up.

"Yeah, well, word on the street was he deserved it."

"Yes, indeed." The conversation paused for a minute as she ordered her drink. She looked back over to him to see him staring intensely at her, studying her with kind eyes.

"I'm Kate," she said on a whim.

"Rick," he offered, and shook her hand. They sat there, sipping their drinks for a few moments before he tossed his down his throat and stood up.

"At the risk of you causing me serious bodily harm, will you dance with me, Kate?" She hesitated, as she had just broken up with Josh. Lanie had dragged her out to have fun though, and what was the harm in one little dance?

"All right, 'ruggedly handsome' guy, lead the way."

The lights were streaming onto the floor, all different colors flashing over the moving bodies. He pulled her to the middle, and at first there were a few inches between them as they danced to the pulsing bass. However, gradually they inched closer, and his hands came to rest of her waist as she ground her hips into him. Soon enough she felt his hands sinking lower as they moved in time. After a song or two of vigorous dancing, she felt him spin her around and pull her flush against his body. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest, but her focus was on his eyes. There was something profound looming behind his pupils. Then she saw his gaze flicker to her lips and back up again. In a moment when she lost track of her rational mind, she pulled his head hungrily toward her as their lips met.

At first the kiss was slow and sweet, tender. Then, however, it grew in passion, and she could feel his tongue asking permission to enter her mouth. She let him in at once, and their tongues dueled as they tasted each other's hot breath. His hands ran through her long hair, and she put her arms around his neck as she pushed her body as close as she could to his. She couldn't understand why it just felt so right, so _perfect_.

A few moments later they broke off for air. Both of them panting, she stepped back.

"Wow," he breathed first. "That was amazing." Stunned, she felt herself nodding. He suddenly took her hand in his and held it tight.

"Kate, are you all right?" She noticed then that her cheeks were burning and her breathing wasn't slowing down. Her heart was pumping wildly in her chest with no hope of stopping.

"It's just… hot in here," she finally said. "Do you want to go get some air?" She was beginning to feel the effect of the 4 shots of tequila she had taken earlier.

"Yeah, sure," he said, still not convinced though she noticed, and he lead her out the club door.

The night was cold, and she was in a skimpy red dress. She could see her breaths coming out into puffs of smoke in the air. She noticed Rick was still holding her hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked again, and she looked up into those eyes. She saw only genuine concern in them.

'I'm fine, Rick, but thank you." She shivered then, and he immediately shucked his leather jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"Here," he said. She glared at him, but he only laughed. "I can tell you're an independent woman, Kate, and you don't like help from men… but… think of it rationally. I have a button down shirt underneath that will keep me warm, but you… you're wearing… well…" he gulped and let his eyes rake over the dress. She pretended not to notice.

"Thanks," she said again, and they walked a bit.

"Want me to hail you a cab?" he asked. She looked at him, surprised. "What?"

"Nothing… I just wasn't expecting you to be so.. chivalrous." He grinned at her words.

"And they say chivalry is dead…"

"Guess not." They walked a little longer until he saw a cab and waved it down. He helped her into the car after she stumbled a bit. Then, something unusual happened. Maybe it was the alcohol getting to her brain, or maybe it was the fact that she just wasn't herself after she and Josh broke up. No matter the reason, she found herself begging,

"Come with me, Rick." She noticed his jaw drop slightly.

"What?" Suddenly more sure of herself, she took his hands in hers.

"Please, I just- please just come with me." He shook his head.

"Kate, I want nothing more than to do that, but I think it would be best if we-" she cut him off by leaping out of the car into his arms, crushing her lips to his. He tasted like a mixture of tequila and wine.

They pulled back a moment later when the cab driver honked.

"Hey, you want a ride or not?" Both grinning like idiots, she took his hand and pulled him into the car.

The whole way back, they held hands and intermittently made out like teenagers, drunk on each other's taste.

When they got to her apartment building, she led the way up the stairs, fumbling for the light switch after unlocking her door.

She led him to the bedroom, pushing him back onto the bed and unbuttoning his shirt as his hands roamed over her body and eventually down her legs to the bottom of her dress. He paused for a moment.

"Are you sure you're okay with this, Kate?" She groaned and pushed him back on the bed again.

"Rick, just shut up and take your pants off."

"Yes ma'am," he grinned cheekily, and did as he was told.

They fell together that night, exploring each other's bodies and laughing randomly throughout the whole time, but it wasn't awkward. Everything seemed to be perfect between them, like they had been with each other a million times before.

As he gave her one last searing kiss on her collarbone, he pulled her naked body close to his and pulled the sheets over them. She sighed contentedly and leaned back into him, enjoying his embrace and kissing his arm before they both gave in to slumber.

I'd give an evil laugh right now if you can hear me because this story is JUST GETTING STARTED.

Please review! Love ya!,

m


	2. Chapter 2

**Again: THIS STORY IS AU.  
>Thank you all so much for the reviews! They really mean a lot to me, and I am glad to know people are out there reading and hopefully enjoying. As a big thank you for a warm welcome too the Castle fandom, and because it also happens to be my favorite holiday (Passover), AND a CASTLE DAY!, I wanted to give you guys another chapter before I conk out for the night.<strong>

**First though, I couldn't help but respond to a review, and maybe it will clear things up for some others too:**

Jayce Gish: I am tempted to not respond to your comment and let you read the rest of the story before you question my Creative Writing education, but I can't help but say please give it a chance and read more (though I won't and obviously can't force you to). Just because they slept together doesn't mean they are necessarily together and will dissolve sexual tension, etc. There's a lot more to come, and the first chapter isn't really a tell-all of the rest of the story, but I'll take your suggestion into consideration, though being on the 17th chapter and satisfied with where the story is going, I don't think I'll be forcing them apart OR completely together anytime soon. Thank you for your thought-out review though (just to clarify since this is the internet, I say this with absolutely no sarcasm. I'm glad you took the time and thought to critique my story and give me suggestions. Thank you. :) )

And I thought I should mention, occasionally some lines in this story, including ones in this chapter, are lines from the show and I did not write them. Keep an eye out for them, you will recognize which ones they are ;)

So here is the second chapter. Thank you all so much for reading. Please review!

Chapter 2

The ringing of a cell phone broke her from her hazy state. She jumped up abruptly, fully awake. Noticing she had no clothes on, she gasped as her eyes fell on the man in bed with her, and the night came flooding back. She smiled slightly, and grabbed her cell from the bedside table.

"Don't answer it… it's too early," she heard him mumble. She glanced at the clock and saw it was in fact 4:30 am.

"Sorry, kitten," she quipped, and pressed the receive button.

"Beckett."

"Yo, we've got a body," she heard Esposito say on the other line. Sighing, she got the address from him and hung up.

She looked down at her sleeping lover and brushed some of the hair out of his eyes. He looked so peaceful, so kind and innocent in his sleep. Leaning down, she kissed his hairline.

"I've got to go," she said sadly. "Duty calls." He groaned and popped one eye open.

"What are you?" he asked. "A CIA agent or something?" She grinning and twisted his ear as he yelped and yelled "Apples!"

"If I told you I'd have to kill you, Sir," with that, she slid out of bed and got dressed. Pausing at the door, she turned back around.

"Thank you, Rick, for last night. I had a lot of fun… I really needed it." She hesitated, starting to say what her heart wanted before it reached her head. However, her thoughts were cut off with a large snore from Rick. He'd fallen back asleep. She wondered if this would be the last time she'd see him again.

"Goodbye, Kitten."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

She arrived at the address moments later, walking up to her friend Lanie who was crouched above the body.

"Wow, looks like I wasn't the only one to have a good night last night. You've got sex hair, girl." She grimaced.

"Time of death?"

"You're no fun. But we _will _talk about this later. Time of death is around 2 am. Victim's granddaughter came down to get a drink when she found her like this, sprawled out on the couch. She tried to wake her, and that's when she noticed the blood."

"Got a cause yet?"

"I can't know for sure until I perform an autopsy because it looks like she was also strangled, but I will say it looks like she was stabbed several times with a knife through the chest."

"Angry lover?" Ryan said, coming up behind them. Esposito walked up too, clamping his hand down on Ryan's shoulder.

"Nah, man… my bet's on an angry actress. Sources say the vic was an actress on Broadway. You know how catty those theater people can get about a part they want. I dated one back in college… she was crazy. And not just in bed-"

"All right, Javier, thanks for your expertise," Lanie cut in, rolling her eyes.

"Has anyone talked to the granddaughter yet?" Beckett asked, holding her eyes shut for a moment as a headache began to form. Ryan and Esposito looked at each other and shrugged.

"We thought we'd leave that for you. You know, you do that… woman thing…"

Beckett raised her eyebrows and glared.

"Excuse me? 'Woman thing'?" Ryan and Esposito shared a glance and scattered two different ways, each raising their phones that hadn't rung.

"Yeah, yes sir, I'll get on that right away…"

"I can't believe you'd date one of them," Beckett grumbled, glaring at Lanie. Lanie sighed.

"Yeah girl, we can't all date doctors." Realizing her mistake as the mood sobered, Lanie stopped what she was doing and laid a hand on Beckett's.

"Kate, you know you're my girl… but you've got to move on. Josh didn't deserve you. You've got to find someone that does." Beckett smiled bittersweetly and pulled her hand away.

"Thanks Lanie. Let me know if you find anything else." She stood up, making her way over to a sobbing teenage girl.

"Hi, Sweetie. I'm Detective Beckett, and I know this is hard, but I really need to ask you a few questions if that's okay. It'll help us find who did this to your grandmother." The girl sniffled and wiped her red hair out of her face. She looked up into Beckett's green eyes, and Beckett was struck with a sense of familiarity. However, she shook it off, and took the girl's hand.

"What's your name, Honey?"

"I'm Alexis. Alexis Castle."

"Okay, Alexis. I need you to tell me what happened this morning when you found your Grandmother." She absentmindedly stroked the back of Alexis' hand, instantly calming the girl as she choked back a sob. "It's okay, Sweetie. I know this is hard, but it will help us find who did this to your Grandmother."

"Gram," the girl said with an ounce of confidence. "I called her Gram."

"Okay, well tell me about your Gram."

"I woke up feeling thirsty around 3:30 this morning. I had heard noises earlier in the night, but Gram is always throwing parties so I just thought it was that. My dad was supposed to be home, but he wasn't. So I went downstairs to call him, but his phone was off. I got a drink of water, and that's when I saw her," she took a deep breath as another sob shuddered through her small body. "She was on the couch, and I thought she was sleeping. I tried to wake her up and get her to bed, but then I saw the blood, so I screamed. I checked for a pulse, but it wasn't there, so I called 911… and that's when you guys got here."

"Okay, thank you, Alexis. That helps a lot. Now I want you to think, is there anyone who would want to harm Gram? Any old enemies or people she didn't get along with?" Alexis shook her head.

"I can't think of anyone. I mean, Gram wasn't exactly a saint, but she did have a lot of friends and people… people loved her." Beckett nodded, as this was a common response.

"Thank you, Alexis. Have you gotten ahold of your dad?" the girl shook her head and started crying again. Beckett leaned forward and started rubbing her back. "Can you stay with me until he comes?" she asked hopefully. Beckett nodded.

"Sure, Sweetie."

An hour later the crew was packing up the body of Martha Rogers and cleaning up their mess. Beckett sat with Alexis, stroking her back and playing with her hair. They talked about menial things like school and what colleges Alexis wanted to go to. Anything to take the girl's mind off her Gram.

"What made you decide to be a Detective?" Alexis finally asked, and Kate stiffened. She didn't usually broadcast the information, but she felt a connection with the girl, so she bit the inside of her cheek and took a deep breath.

"When I was 19 my mother was murdered," she began. "I was out to eat with my dad and we were waiting for her to come… and then we got the call. And they never found her killer. It was a cold case." She stopped there, stilling her hand on the girl's back and looked down with tears in her eyes.

"It gets easier," she told the girl. "But I still miss her every day." She felt Alexis put her hand on her arm, and she looked up into the girl's blue eyes.

"Thank you, Detective Beckett," she said, and that's all she needed to say before they fell into a comfortable silence.

A few minutes later, the door burst open. Beckett and Alexis both rose as Rick Castle walked in the room. As soon as her eyes fell on him, she gasped.

"What's going on here?" he shouted frantically. "Where's my daughter?"

"Dad, I'm right here!" Alexis exclaimed, and ran into his arms.

"God, I was so scared, are you all right?" he asked, still not seeing Kate.

"Dad, it's Gram!" Alexis sobbed, and he held her tight. He stroked her back, and cried a little with her. After a few moments, Beckett took a few shaky steps toward them, still not believing her eyes.

"Who's in charge here?" he asked the room. It was now or never.

"I am."

"Kate!"


	3. Chapter 3

I'm a little disappointed by the lack of reviews for last chapter, though I appreciate you all who did review. Are you guys mad that I killed Martha? Not interested in the story anymore? I promise there is a purpose, and it will come together and hopefully you'll like it. Please please please keep reading and give this story a chance, and please

Review!

It motivates me not only to write more, but to update way faster. I almost didn't update tonight because I wanted to wait and see if more people would find the second chapter and review.. maybe I'm updating at the wrong time… but oh well.

m

**Chapter 3**

"Kate?" The buzz in the room came to a still and all eyes flew to her, but she didn't notice. Her eyes were locked with Richard Castle's blue eyes, engaged in a silent battle. At first she saw the pain and fear behind them, and she tried to calm him down with her eyes. She held his gaze, but then suddenly his eyes sparked with anger, and he snapped his eyes to his daughter and then took a menacing step towards Kate.

"What is going on here? Did you plan this or something? My mother gets murdered so you track me down and jump into bed with me?" Her cheeks immediately flushed red as she noticed the other officers whispering behind his back. She lowered her head in shame as she composed herself for a few seconds.

"Dad, what's going on?" to make matters worse Alexis reminded the room of her presence. Kate could feel anger seep through her body.

"If I recall correctly, it was _you_ who came up to _me_! I didn't seek you out at all. I was just getting a drink when you came up with your carefully crafted lines and your… and your cocky smile… and how could you even think that? You don't even know all the information yet! I just got here when I got the call this morning! I had no idea she was your mother!" She tried to storm past him, but he grabbed her arm tightly and spun her around to face him. They glared at each other, half about to strangle the other and half about to start shedding clothes and making out like teenagers again. Sometime during the fight Esposito and Ryan had come up, and suddenly they were in between the two of them. Esposito took ahold of Kate and dragged her to the other side of the room, while Ryan took Castle into the office. Seeing Alexis standing by herself, utterly confused, Lanie jumped to the rescue and took her hand.

"Come on, Sweetie," she said. "Let's go get something to eat in the kitchen. Let them talk.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

"What the hell was that about, Esposito? I can handle myself!"

"Excuse me, Kate, but don't you think I should be asking the questions here? Like first, how the hell do you know our victim's son?" She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, glaring at Esposito and wringing her hands together. Finally, she setted for gripping the arm of the leather couch.

"It doesn't matter."

"Like hell it doesn't matter! Kate, he's a suspect, and if you know him, you can't be on this case." Her head snapped up at that, and her face fell guiltily.

"He's not a suspect, Javier." He fixed her with a disbelieving look and sat down next to her.

"How can you be so sure?" She sighed and shook her head.

"He has an alibi."

"Does he now? And what would that be?" He crossed his arms and waited, but wasn't expecting what was coming next.

"He was with me last night," she said softly. Esposito's mouth hung open.

"Like, how long are we talking here? Until midnight or later, before that?"

"The whole night… right up until I got the call about the body." She sighed again and couldn't quite make her eyes meet her fellow detective's.

"You slept with him."

"Yes. Lanie took me to a club last night and-"

"Hold up, you just picked him up from some club? Kate, that's not like you. That's not safe. I know you've been having a hard time getting over Josh but-"

"No, Esposito. You don't know. And you don't get to judge me. I know I don't usually pick up random guys from clubs, and I shouldn't have. But he was different." Esposito scoffed disbelievingly, which only made her angrier.

"I know you and Ryan like to do the big brother thing, but it's not going to fly this time. Just leave it be and let me do my job." With that, she stood up and walked over to the office where Ryan and Castle were talking.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Meanwhile, Ryan had roughly sat Castle down in his office chair. The two men both crossed their arms, staring at each other for several moments. Ryan made the first move.

"So, I see you know Beckett."

"If by Beckett you mean Kate, then yes, I guess I do." Another stretch of silence followed as Ryan looked him up and down. Finally, Castle spoke again.

"So she's a police officer." It was a statement rather than a question, but Ryan's eyebrows raised.

"Whoa, Detective actually, but I thought you said you knew her? Anyone who knows Beckett knows she's crazy about her job." Ryan stood up and walked over to Castle's seat, towering over him. "Explain."

"It's complicated." Castle refused to be intimidated by this doofus. Ryan snorted.

"I'm sure it is. Why don't you uncomplicate it for me?"

"That's not even a word," Castle scoffed, but Ryan's hardened expression silenced him. "I'm a famous writer, a rich bachelor. I have women throwing themselves at me."

"Kate isn't like that," Ryan said defensively. Castle laughed, a cocky, sarcastic kind of laugh.

"What, are you in love with her? Did I crush your feelings for her? She fell for me just like the others do." With that, Ryan brought his hands to Castle's throat, sending the chair flying back.

"She's my boss. I've been through a lot with her, and so has everyone in the precinct. We are cops, and we know how to hide a body. So quit the act, and tell the truth for once, and don't you _ever_ talk about her like that again." He backed off and composed himself, and looked up to see Castle's eyes shining with tears.

"I just lost my mother," he said by way of apology. Ryan nodded, and motioned for him to continue. "I met Kate at a club last night. We hit it off. She was different, you know? And she could kick my ass. Not like any woman I'd ever been with before. I thought I'd go home to my daughter and mother this morning, and everything would be fine like it usually is… but… seeing all the cops here, and then seeing Kate here… it threw me off. That's one hell of a coincidence."

"You slept with her," Ryan stated flatly.

"Well… yeah. And then she left early, and I had no idea why and I wish I still didn't know." Castle threw his head in his hands, and Ryan sighed.

"Well at least you have an alibi." Castle's head shot up.

"You think I could do it? I'd never hurt my mother! How could you even suggest that?" His rampage was interrupted by Kate entering the room, looking slightly frazzled.

"Relax, Castle. It's standard protocol to question all the family as suspects first. You should know that though.. I thought you were a world famous crime writer?" she said the last bit with a sarcastic bite. A bit of the fire returned in Castle's eyes.

"You knew who I was all along?" he said. "So you were using me, just like any other piece of trash-" he was cut off by Ryan throwing him down on the desk and cuffing him. Kate could see the situation was quickly getting out of control.

"Ryan!" she barked. "You know I can handle myself. Leave. I'll handle it from here." Ryan gave her a helpless glance. "Are you sure?"

"Just go."

"Should I take the cuffs off, or-"

"Leave them on." She smirked. He left then, closing the door behind him as Beckett circled Castle's figure, facedown on the desk.

After a few minutes of silence, he spoke. "Some big brother you got there."

"Yeah, he's not as bad as Esposito though." She walked over to him and laid a strong hand on his back. Leaning closer, she whispered in his ear so he shivered.

"I know you're grieving over your mom, but if you _ever _compare me to a piece of trash again, I swear to God you'll never be able to have sex again."

"Is that a promise?" he bit back. "Have I been a bad boy?" He even had the nerve to grind his hips into hers a bit. She scoffed and smashed his face against the table again. He shuddered as he felt his nose smash and begin to bleed.

"I promise you don't want to mess with me." Then she stood up abruptly, leaving him lying across the desk.

"And just for the record, I had no idea who you were last night. I just read your file." With that, she left, closing the door softly behind her.

]xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

please review and make me happy :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Wow, thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews. Definitely makes me feel better about posting this story! I really appreciate the constructive criticism and thought you put into them too! Thank you, thank you.**

**As for the OOC things.. I'll take those comments into consideration. Sorry about that. Hopefully it gets better (see that pun I just did there?)**

**Short chapter, _really _short, but it was a good place to stop and that means I'll hopefully update sooner.**

**Please review! Much love**

**m**

**Chapter 4**

When Rick made his way into the kitchen, it was only Kate, Lanie, Alexis, and Esposito left. Rick walked over to the counter and ripped a piece of paper towel, bringing it to his bleeding nose.

"Dad!" Alexis exclaimed, instantly making her way over to him. "What happened?"

"I walked into a door," he said curtly, and Esposito snickered. Alexis shot him a disbelieving look, but didn't press further.

"So what happens now?" Rick asked, looking at Kate. She crossed her arms and puffed out her chest, suddenly feeling small despite her high heels.

"We review the evidence, find some suspects, and try to find your mom's killer. You wait for our call." She started to pull a card from her pocket when she heard Rick scoffing.

"I wait for your call? Do you seriously think I'm going to just sit here and do nothing while you guys look for my mother's murderer? What kind of wuss do you think I am?"

"Castle, I understand you want to help, but it's not up to you anymore-"

"Like hell it isn't!" he interrupted. Esposito and Lanie exchanged glances, but Kate and Rick didn't seem to notice. They inched closer together as Rick continued. "_My _mother was murdered for Christ's sake! I can't possibly just sit here and do nothing. Do you have any idea what you're asking me to do?" The loft was silent for a few minutes, and Alexis looked timidly at Beckett, biting her nails nervously.

"I do, actually," Kate said softly. "But you have to let us do our job. We _will _find your mother's killer, Castle, and I promise to keep you in the loop." She reached out a hand to him, but he angrily brushed her away.

"That's not good enough." He stomped away from the group, up the stairs to his room. They heard the door slam moments later. The crew took a collective deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Detective Beckett," Alexis said tearfully. "He didn't know…"

"It's okay, Alexis," she interrupted. "You don't have to apologize for him. I know he's grieving, and he just wants justice. I promise you I will do everything I can to catch Gram's killer."

"She's the best," Lanie pitched in. "My girl will keep her word."

"Thank you," Alexis said, and threw her arms around a surprised Kate. She smiled and pulled back. Suddenly, her expression grew confused.

'So wait, how do you know my dad?" Kate blushed and looked away.

"We met one night at a… restaurant. I only met him once, I swear… I didn't know who he was." Alexis didn't seem to fully believe her, but she let it slide.

"Thank you Detective Beckett, again, for everything." Kate smiled. She already loved this kid.

"Please, call me Kate. And here's my card if you need _anything_ at all. Don't hesitate to call, no matter what." With those parting words she timidly drew the teen in for another hug. "Goodbye, Alexis." The group walked out of the apartment.

In the parking lot, Esposito, who had been quiet for the whole exchange, spoke up.

"So, we gonna be seeing more of Writerboy in your future?" Kate screwed her face up and laughed.

"I hope not, what an ass."

"I thought he was kinda cute," Lanie cut in, but then fixed Kate with a shocked stare.

"Wait.. how do you really know him? Not the PG version… I'm thinkin' R rated at _least_." She tried to hook arms with Kate but she shrugged her off.

"It's nothing."

"Oh, she knows him all right," Esposito smirked. "Met him at the club last night… took him home and did the dirty."

"You _what? _I knew you'd gotten lucky, but with him? Damn girl! What a catch!" Lanie playfully punched Kate in the arm.

"I don't know about that. He's like a 9 year old on a sugar rush, completely incapable of anything serious. It was fun for one night, but I don't see it going anywhere." Or at least that's what she told herself to mask the dull ache in her heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**I should probably space out my updates more, but I haven't heard you guys complaining, right? **

**Another short chapter, but it sets stuff up.**

**Pleaseeee review!**

**Chapter 5**

The call came at midnight, just as Kate was slipping into bed. She sighed, and hoped it wasn't another body.

"Kate?" she heard a timid voice on the other side. She paused a moment, racking her brain for who it could be.

"Yes? Who is this speaking?"

"It's Alexis."

"Oh." Her mind couldn't form an appropriate response. She had given the girl her card, but hadn't expected anything too come of it. The girl seemed highly independent, and she seemed to have good coping skills. However, she had developed a bond with the redhead earlier, and couldn't help but be concerned. "What's wrong, Alexis?"

"I need your help," the girl sobbed on the other line. Kate waited, but only heard shuddering sobs on the other end.

"Alexis, are you okay? Has something happened?"

"It's dad," the teen choked. Kate's heart began pounding wildly. She flipped on the light switch and immediately reached for her weapon, holding the phone with her chin as she began to get dressed.

"Is he hurt? Did somebody hurt him? Did he hurt himself? Oh God, I'll be right there. You are at your loft, right?"

"He's okay," Alexis said quickly. "Well, actually, he's not okay… but he's not hurt. I just don't think he's handling this whole thing very well. He punched a wall, and won't stop crying. I've never seen him cry before, and he keeps on listening to showtunes and crying really hard. I just think he needs someone here with him that understands, but I can't be that person. I've tried, but he won't even look at me." She burst into sobs again, and Kate felt her heart sinking as she paused with her hand on the front doorknob.

"I don't think I can be that person, Alexis. He barely knows me."

"But you lost your mom too. I mean, what did you do when that happened?" Kate sighed and massaged her head with her free hand.

"It was hard for a while, and I was younger. I didn't handle it well. I don't think I'm the best example for him."

"Detective, _please_. I don't know who else to call." Kate was silently debating with herself, trying desperately to not let her heart get tangled in this mess. In the end, however, said heart made the decision for her easily.

"Okay, I'll be right there."


	6. Chapter 6

**Again, I apologize for the two short chapters in a row. I don't do them by length; I stop where it seems natural, and unfortunately that happened to leave you all with two teasers. Hopefully this longer chapter makes up for it. It's probably the longest one yet by my standards.  
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**Thanks so much to you all who reviewed. I read and appreciate every one of them, even the criticisms (I take your suggestions into consideration). **

**As always, don't forget to review this one too!**

**m**

**Chapter 6**

Despite her initial reluctance to comfort the man, Kate found herself breaking every traffic law in order to get to the loft in record time. She parked illegally, slamming the car door and not bothering to turn on her emergency lights. A ticket was the least of her worries.

She made her way up to his floor, biting her lip nervously the whole time and trying not to think about the fact that she had no plan past simply _getting to him._

She knocked softly on the door. Seconds later, it swung open and the teen greeted her, obviously a wreck and relieved to see her.

"Detective Beckett, come in. Thank you so much."

"Alexis, it's Kate, remember? And really, I'm glad you called me," she soothed. "Does he know I'm coming?" she asked awkwardly. The teen seemed to zone out for a minute, swaying a little on her feet. "Alexis," she urged after several moments of silence. As pure maternal concern kicked in, she led the girl over to the couch easily and sat her down.

"Sorry," Alexis winced. "He locked his door and won't talk to me. I didn't think I could tell him." Kate gave a big sigh and bit her lip again. This wasn't what she had signed up for, but always one for a challenge and always a professional, she decided to get the facts first.

"So you said you saw him tonight?"

"Yeah. He was down here for a while, but he wasn't really _here_, you know? I tried to talk to him… to comfort him… but he was like a zombie. And then he couldn't stop crying." The girl paused, training her blue eyes on Beckett with great fear. "Dad's never cried in front of me before. No matter what happens. He's always the strong one. He didn't even cry when our old family dog died, or when he fell off a police horse and broke his leg!" Kate had to force herself not to raise her eyebrow at that information.

"I know that as your dad you expect him to be strong, Alexis, but everyone has their breaking point. This is his mother. It sounds like they were really close, and a mother's bond with her child is something that is completely unique. He's hurting, badly, and everyone shows their grief in different ways." She took the girl's hand in hers and squeezed it.

"I know, Kate… but it does feel better to hear someone say that. I just hope you can help him, since I couldn't." The teenager's expression lit up hopefully, and even in her smudged make-up and pajamas, she looked like a beautiful child. Kate could only hope she wouldn't let her down.

"One more question, Alexis… I noticed his father isn't around." She watched as her eyes turned dark and she looked away.

"He doesn't know who his father is. Gram wouldn't tell him. Said it was better if he didn't know, and she loved him enough for both parents."

"Okay. I'm sorry. I'll try my best to talk to him, but I can't promise anything," she squeezed Alexis' hand once more and stood up.

"Don't worry, Detective. I've heard you're the best." She could have sworn she saw Alexis wink at her, but she brushed it off and headed up the stairs.

A hot burst of air met her when she entered the upstairs hallway. She peered into an open room that was painted purple and saw posters of hot actors and butterflies adorning the walls. She saw an unmade bed and a desk piled with Chemistry and History textbooks, as well as a closed Apple laptop with a True Blood sticker across the bottom. This must be Alexis' room, she thought. The room next to its door was halfway open. Tentatively, she pushed it open a little more to reveal another large unmade bed in the middle of the room with cream colored walls. There were dirty clothes, a lot of them boasting colorful sequins, strewn across the floor, and various vintage posters of old Broadway musicals in intricate frames. Across from the bed was one of the largest mirrors Beckett had ever seen. It was beautiful, and took up almost the whole wall.

She closed the door with a profound sadness and made her way to the end of the hallway, where the wooden door was threateningly closed, and from what Alexis said, locked.

She knocked once to no answer. Never one for patience, she knocked 3 times again, this time harder.

"Alexis, leave me be. I don't want you to see me like this." Kate paused, but then knocked again and said,

"It's not Alexis, Castle. It's Detective Beckett. Open the door." Again she got no answer.

"Rick, open the door, please," she tried again, only softly this time.

"Go away," he shouted miserably, and she growled in annoyance. However, she wasn't about to back down.

"Castle, open the damn door or I'll break it down," she waited, and counted to ten. When it sounded like there was no life on the other side, she took a deep breath and violently kicked open the door, sending the metal lock flying across the room.

The first thing she took in was the heat. It was smothering in there. The second was the smell. It smelled stale and of alcohol, with a mixture of sweat and salt. That was when she saw him.

He was curled up on the floor, clutching a down comforter in his hands like a little boy. His hair was a mess and plastered to his forehead in places. An empty bottle of scotch lay on the ground next to him, as well as a broken shot glass. There were bags under his eyes, and his white shirt was soaked through with sweat and alcohol stains. His boxers were wrinkled. He looked pathetic.

She was startled to hear the rumble of him laughing.

"That was hot," he said weakly, and she marched over to him immediately, crouching down and pulling him up by his ear. He yelped in response, but stood to avoid more pain.

"What, forgot your safe word?" she quipped, but her smirk melted as she saw a fresh wave of tears begin to brew. She felt genuine concern for the man, despite his tendency to push her buttons. She'd been in his position before, with no one to help her through it. She made the decision right then to be support for him, and make sure he got through his mother's death, though she was unable to admit to herself the real reason why.

She gently but firmly guided him to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Finding a clean towel from the cabinet above the sink, she placed it in his arms and stepped back.

"Go, shower," she said sympathetically. He just stood there, looking absolutely miserable and fighting tears.

"What, no joke about me joining you? Are you losing your touch?" she teased, but could instantly see now wasn't the time for humor. She looked down at her feet awkwardly. She decided to go for honesty. "It won't change anything, Rick, but I promise you will at least feel a little bit better. Trust me." He nodded mutely, and she moved to go back into the bedroom. She was startled by his hand shooting out and grabbing her wrist. However, he was still silent.

"I'll be right in there, Rick. You shower and then come out and we'll talk." His grip loosened, but she could still see the wild fear in his eyes. Sighing as she realized he was in no state of competence to even undress himself, she walked toward him carefully. She guided him toward the walk in shower and gingerly lifted his shirt over his head. Once he realized what she was doing he seemed to snap out of it and thankfully she didn't have to take off his boxers for him. Though he was standing in front of her completely naked, she barely noticed. There was only compassion and concern in what she felt, and she knew now wasn't the time to be sexual. She pushed him gently into the stream of the water.

"Will you be all right in there?" she asked, but she wasn't patronizing or thinking of him like a child. She had felt exactly what he was feeling now, and been in the same state of mind. She knew from experience he was completely numb.

He nodded, and she once again moved to leave.

"Stay," he called out, his voice hoarse. And without a moment's hesitation she agreed, sitting herself on the closed lid of the toilet and listening to the steady stream of the shower hitting the tiles and his tired body. She watched with a caring eye as he washed his hair and body, looking over every once in a while to her position by the sink to make sure she was still there. She smiled sadly, but reassuringly every time.

She saw him turn off the water, and she held out the soft green towel for him to step into. He accepted it gratefully, and they walked together back into his room.

She picked out a baggy t-shirt and a pair of boxers for him from his drawers as if she had done it a million times. He shucked the towel and put them on, then sat on his bed. Up until this point, Kate had been so sure of herself, so certain she was doing the right thing. However, she couldn't help but feel uneasy and confused as to whether she should sit beside him on such an intimate place as his bed at this time. Then his eyes sought out hers, and they locked. Blue met green, and she could only see trust and the need for reassurance and comfort in his. That was when she knew, she couldn't leave even if she wanted to.

She made her way over to the bed, and sat down on it. She scooted back until she was propped up against the headboard. Wordlessly, she pulled him down so his head rested on her chest. Sensing he was too tired to talk, she reached down and slid her fingers between his. She squeezed tightly, and was relieved to feel him squeeze back.

With her other hand resting in his hair, they let the joy and comfort that came naturally with their closeness lull them both to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Last chapter didn't get many reviews :( Sad face. I was hoping to get more before I updated, but I don't want to hold this chapter hostage! It would be great to hear from more of you though :) Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter, I really appreciate it and took the time to read every one carefully and take your thoughts into consideration. You make me happy!**

**Here is the next chapter.**

**m**

**Chapter 7**

Kate awoke to sun streaming through the curtains. For a moment she forgot where she was in a panic. It took her a few seconds to gain her bearings, and realize she was not in her own bed nor was she in her apartment.

Hearing a slight snort, she looked over to see Richard Castle sleeping soundly next to her. Sometime during the night he had ended up encircling his arms around her waist, and now it was her head resting on his chest. To an outside observer, Rick was the comforter and Kate the comfortee. She twisted a little to get comfortable, and Rick's arm tightened around her protectively. She smiled blissfully. He had been a great lover.

Suddenly she felt disgusted with herself after the events of the night before came back. The man could barely undress himself, and you're having sexual thoughts about him? She shook her head a little, and felt Rick stir in his sleep.

"Kate?" he asked groggily, with a hint of desperation in his voice. She smiled reassuringly and squeezed their intertwined hands together.

"I'm here." He sat up then, untangling their limbs. She sat up too and unclasped their hands.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, and he nodded.

"As okay as I can be, considering." She hummed in understanding.

"I can go make you and Alexis some breakfast."

"I'm not hungry," he snapped, and then his eyes widened in reaction to his tone.

"I'm sorry," he said "I shouldn't have-"

"No, I get it," Kate said firmly. "I know you didn't mean to snap, and I know that eating is the last thing on your mind right now, but believe me when I say you need to take care of yourself. That's the only way you'll make it through this." Rick frowned but nodded.

"I'll eat in a little bit, but can we stay in bed for a little bit longer and just lie here?" She acquiesced and laid back down next to him.

Once they were settled she spoke timidly.

"I know this is hard, and I know that it feels like no one in the world could possibly understand what you're going through… I know because I went through the same thing when I was 19," she paused as she felt him stiffen beside her.

"My mother was murdered on her way to dinner with me and my father. That's why I became a Detective." She paused again and took a deep, shuddering breath. Even after all these years it was still painful for her to talk about. "They never found her killer, but I can promise you, Rick, that I will do everything to find your mother's killer. I won't give up. And I'm here for you, if you need someone who understands." She stopped then and bit her lip, waiting for his response. They sat for several minutes in silence, and she could feel the tension in her body growing as she worried she must have said something wrong.

As the sun grew brighter through the curtain, she heard him say in an emotional voice, so soft she almost missed it, "Thank you." And she knew he meant it.

They lay there for what seemed like hours in comfortable silence until he spoke again.

"I had babysitters a lot." She looked up at his face, expecting to see tears but surprised to see him smiling. "She had to work as an actress my whole life…. Well, before I could support myself. She worked long hours, and we still never had any money, and I always knew she had to. I always knew she did it for me, and that.. and that she loved me." Kate knew this was a big step in his grieving process, and that he must really trust her to be telling her this. She also knew how hard it was after such a short time since her murder to be talking about his mother, so she laid a hand on his arm and began tracing patterns up and down so he could have physical evidence of her support.

"She'd say to me, 'The world's a tough place, kiddo, and I may have to work harder now that there's two of us, but life's been much easier since you came into it.'" They both chuckled a bit at that.

"She would throw these huge parties on school nights, be up for hours drinking and singing Broadway tunes at the top of her lungs. But I loved it. I'd be right there, playing the piano parts and singing along with them. She always thought I'd follow in her footsteps and get into acting," he smirked then, "but it's totally her fault I'm a writer. When I was eight she bought me a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories. I'd only been reading for four years, and any normal parent would expect their eight year old to be reading "Nancy Drew" or "The Hardy Boys." 'Not my son,' she told my teacher. 'He has a flair for the dramatic and the gruesome, just like his mother.' This made me determined, and I finished the collection in a week. I started making up my own mysteries and crime scenes, even figured out how to make fake blood, which was a food coloring disaster. The next week I found a blank leather notebook on my pillow and a fancy ballpoint pen, ad I've never been the same since." It was then that the inevitable tears came, and Kate shifted so she could hold him in her arms. She rocked him back and forth, whispering "It's okay, let it out," into his soft brown hair. She stroked his back, and covered him with her body as if protecting him from the outside. She could feel tears soaking her clothes from yesterday, but she didn't care. He needed this, and she was going to give it to him.

After he had cried for a good while, the tears seemed to simmer. She sensed a change in the mood, so she gently untangled herself from him and stood up, offering him her hand.

"Breakfast," she explained, and she was relieved to see him take her hand, and together they walked into the hallway, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm back. Thanks for the responses to last chapter! As always, PLEASE REVIEW this one! Thanks! Enjoy…**

**Chapter 8**

Kate was surprised to see Alexis sitting at one of the stools, though she shouldn't have been. She could tell the girl and her father cared deeply for each other, and the teen had been so worried about him the night before.

"Dad! Kate!" she exclaimed, and launched herself at the Detective who gave out an ungraceful _Oof!_

"Thank you," Alexis whispered in her ear as she squeezed her tightly. She then gave her dad a similar hug, though theirs lasted a bit longer.

"I'm sorry," her Dad said honestly. "I just didn't want you to see me so… broken. I'm sorry if I scared you Sweetie."

"Dad, you were grieving. You'd just lost your mother," Alexis said maturely. "I don't expect you to be strong all the time. And I'm grieving too. We all loved Gram." She looked toward Kate with a twinkle in her eye.

"I'm glad Kate fixed you though." Kate blushed and cleared her throat.

"I just did what I wished someone had done for me. It was nothing." She was surprised to feel Rick's arm snaking around her waist from behind. He squeezed her hip and lowered his head to kiss her forehead. She felt a jolt of electricity from where his lips had touched her, and she briefly wondered if he'd felt it too.

"No, Kate, it was _everything_. Thank you." And though they were few, those words were enough.

Kate nonchalantly made her way over to the cabinets and found what she was looking for gradually.

"Kate, what are you doing?" Alexis asked curiously.

"Making you both a big, healthy breakfast," she said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not hungry," the two Castles stated in unison.

"You may not think you are, but this will help keep your strength up, believe me," she said.

"I don't think I can keep anything down," Alexis said doubtfully.

"Even so, I expect at least half of your plate to be gone… _both of you."_

"Yes, Mom," Castle quipped, and she was relieved to see a little spark back in his blue eyes.

"So what are you making?" Alexis asked as Kate cracked a few eggs into a bowl and checked on something frying in the pan.

"Yeah, Chef Beckett," Rick added.

"Bacon and French toast. Weird combination, I know, but they're the only things I could make with the ingredients you had."

"Oooo!" Rick exclaimed, and tried to sneak a piece of the now cooked bacon off a plate.

"Paws off, Mr. I'm Not Hungry!" Kate exclaimed, holding the spatula like she would a lethal weapon. When Rick attempted to sneak another piece when she wasn't looking, he yelped in surprise as she brought the spatula down on his hand swiftly and violently. Alexis giggled, and her dad whispered to her loudly so Kate could hear,

"Don't want to piss this one off. She kicked down my door last night. And I saw her kick a guy's ass once."

"Watch your language Mister," Kate warned as Alexis looked at her in awe, though she couldn't help but smirk.

` When they sat down to eat at the table, Alexis picked at her food with her fork.

"Come on, Honey," Kate urged. "You've got to eat something. You'll feel better." Alexis shook her head tearfully. Baby steps, Kate told herself, and then remembered something her mom would do when she was a kid, though much younger than Alexis.

"Just take at least 4 bites for me, that's all I ask. Then you don't have to eat anything if you don't want to." She could feel Rick's eyes on her, but she didn't look at him. She focused on Alexis and watched as the girl took a tentative bite of French Toast. She chewed slowly, and then took another bite. Kate watched as she then ate a whole piece of bacon.

"So… how did you guys really meet?" Alexis asked innocently. Kate felt her face flush as Rick choked on the piece of food he was eating. "No offense Kate, but that restaurant line was really lame."

"Um," Kate stuttered, suddenly at a loss for words.

"We met at a club," Rick blurted out. "And then we slept together." Kate was absolutely mortified, and instinctively punched Rick hard in the arm.

"What?" He exclaimed. "We have a very open relationship. And she asked!" Kate couldn't help but cover her face in her hands.

"It's okay, Kate," Alexis said, though she was wrinkling her nose.

"No it's not," Kate protested, finally looking up from her hands. "I'm sorry, Alexis. No one should have to hear that from their parents."

"Believe me, growing up with him _and _my Gram I heard it plenty," Alexis smiled sweetly. "While sometimes it bothers me, I've grown used to it, and now that I'm older I'm _not_ stupid. I know my dad's a man whore."

"Hey!" Rick exclaimed, offended. Alexis continued on as if she hadn't heard him.

"I'm just surprised… I mean, you're not like the other ones."

"The other what?" Kate asked cautiously.

"The other women. They're usually fake blonde bimbos who are only after him for his money. They go running at the mention of his teenage daughter. But you… you're not like that at all." Kate was silent, unsure of how to interpret this awkward discussion. Alexis took another few bites of her French toast and another piece of bacon, then pushed back her chair and made her way to the stairs.

"You're good for him," she said finally, before disappearing up the stairs and to her room.

"I'm sorry," Rick said immediately.

"For what?" Kate snapped. "The fact that you blatantly told your daughter we had a one night stand of hot, steamy sex or the fact that I'm not a blonde bimbo?" Rick winced.

"I deserved that."

"Yes, you did. And if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I'll shoot you." She said that with the utmost serious expression, so Rick had no choice but to believe her. She stood up angrily and took the plates to the sink. She began to wash them furiously, squeezing the dish soap bottle so hard that soap squirted onto the wall.

"You don't have to do that," he said quietly, having snuck up on her from behind.

"I want to," she shot back.

"Are you one of those people who obsessively cleans when they're mad?" he asked, half-seriously and half-playfully. She just glared at him, but then a few moments later her gaze softened.

"Just another layer of the Beckett Onion," she said. Smirking, he reached down and pinched her butt, causing her to yelp and almost drop the dish she was holding.

"I can't wait to peel more layers off you," he whispered in her ear, and then walked away. She groaned.

"I totally asked for that."


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry that took so long, guys. I have been working at a summer camp, being a counselor for 45 crazy 6 and 7 year olds, so I'm pretty exhausted when I get home at 6. I have so many hilarious stories though. I've already been asked if I believe in Jesus, what gay means, I've been sprayed in the eye by sunscreen, given copious amounts of hugs, and I taught a bunch of kids what karma means and now they're obsessed with the idea. Oh and a girl punched me in the boob. And I got a little girl to dance to "I whip my hair back and forth!" And a 6 year old informed me my driver's license is expired. Oops (yes I also turned 21 June 1st. It's been eventful).

I also am a little stuck on chapter 18… I want to get most of this story finished before I go on a posting rampage. But you all deserve a chapter after this long wait, maybe more than one chapter (specially since it's a filler chapter oops) if I can be convinced.

Pleaaaaase review. When I saw I had 2 new reviews for this story, I was extremely motivated to post! It really does make a difference. Make me a happy person ! Happy people write more!

AND O M G that Castle finale was AMAZING. We can get through this hiatus TOGETHER guys! More soon-

Molly

**Chapter 9**

After she finished cleaning the dishes and the kitchen counters from breakfast she found him in his study, staring sadly at a picture of his mother from her younger days.

"She's beautiful," Kate said softly. If he was surprised by her presence, he gave no sign. He placed the picture back lovingly and cleared his throat.

'Yeah, she was." He heard the jangle of her car keys in her hand and looked up at her, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. "You're leaving?"

"Well, I'm going back to my apartment to change, and then I'm going into work." He nodded mutely and looked down at some papers on his desk. "But I might be able to use a consultant on the case… maybe a crime writer? Who happened to know the vict… Martha Rogers?" His eyes lit up immediately.

"Really?" he asked disbelievingly. "You'd let me help?" Kate shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's the least I could do… it's what I wish I'd been able to do with my mother's murder. Besides, maybe you'll surprise me and be helpful." In a flash she had twisted his nose.

"Apples! Apples!" he exclaimed in a nasal voice.

"There's the Castle I lo-" she trailed off awkwardly and cleared her throat, releasing his nose. They looked into each other's eyes for a good moment, then looked away.

"I'll be by to pick you up at 10," she said, to which he protested vehemently.

"Why don't _I _get to drive?" he whined. She shook her head.

"You're lucky I don't have my gun on me." He laughed which caused her to smile a little, though she desperately tried to hide it.

"Thank you," he said sincerely. She nodded curtly, and then walked toward the front door.

"Bye, Alexis!" she called, but only heard loud music in response.

"10 oclock!" She shouted at Rick one more time. He gave her a cheeky salute, to which she rolled her eyes and walked out the door.

xoxoxoxoxox

Of course he was late. She sat in the parking lot and honked the horn for the fifth time. Looking at her dad's watch, she sighed as she saw it was 10:20. She picked up her cell phone and punched in his number only to be jolted by the sound of the car door opening.

"Sorry I'm late," he said apologetically. "Alexis was having a bit of a meltdown about me leaving." Kate snapped her cell phone shut, feeling a little guilty at being angry with him before.

"Is she-"

"She's okay," he cut her off. "Just had to give her a pep talk. Tell her I was helping you find my mother's killer." He was silent for a few moments.

"We'll find him, Rick," Kate assured him.

Halfway to the precinct she had to slap his hand away as he started fiddling with the radio.

"My car, my music," she ground out.

"Touchy," he quipped, but threw his hands in the air and settled back into his seat.

When they arrived in the precinct they were greeted by Ryan and Esposito.

"What's the Writer Monkey doing here?" Esposito growled. Both him and Ryan simultaneously crossed their arms and stared him down. Castle gave a cheeky wave at Ryan, who, to his benefit, didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Castle's helping with the case," Kate said, pretending not to notice.

"Whoa whoa whoa, you mean writer boy is actually 'helping' us? Like a consultant?"

"I prefer to think of it as a 'shadow,'" Castle butted in. Esposito continued on,

"And on his own mother's case? Are you sure that's a good idea, Boss?" Kate threw down the paperwork she was shuffling in her hands.

"Key word there Esposito, _boss_. He's on the case whether you like it or not."

"Montgomery's not gonna like it either," Ryan mumbled.

"What was that, Honey Milk?"

"Say Bro, didn't Lanie need us down in the morgue?" Esposito said to Ryan.

"I'm not sure I was included in that booty call," Ryan said skeptically, only to be kicked in the shin. "Oh, right, she needed to tell us about that thing."

"Yeah, that thing," Esposito said. "That case thing." The two men shuffled awkwardly toward the elevator.

"Beckett," Ryan said by way of parting with a nod.

"Are they always like that?" Rick asked when they had gone.

"If you mean meddlesome and annoying, then yes," Kate shot back. She pulled out a pen and began jotting down a few notes. After a few moments, she threw it down and glared at him.

"What?" Rick asked innocently.

"Quit watching me. It's creepy." He huffed and looked toward the break room. He gave an over-exaggerated sniff in the air, and immediately his eyes lit up.

"Coffee!" he exclaimed, and scurried off. Moments later, he returned with two cups, setting one down in front of Kate. He took a big sip of his own, and immediately spit it out all over the floor.

"Castle!" she barked. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"This coffee tastes like watered down dog shit! No, this won't do. This won't do at all." He immediately began messing around with an amazon app on his iPhone. "Would you prefer an espresso or cappuccino machine? Ooo, wouldn't it be cool to have a snow cone machine in here too?" Kate immediately grabbed his phone from him and threw it in a drawer in her desk, locking the drawer with a key from her keychain.

"You can have it back once you behave and _let me get some work done._"

"But Miss Beckett," he whined. "I thought being a Detective would be cooler than this… you know… more exciting!" She rolled her eyes.

"Just let me finish up this paperwork and then we'll head to the murder board. Maybe you'll find that more exciting."

"Are there guns involved?"

"Only if you piss me off."

That shut him up.


	10. Chapter 10

**Aghghgh I am so sorry guys. But I do want to explain…**

**If you are wondering where the hell I've been.. wellll I couldn't get on the computer very much or type because I had a tic where I'd bang my head repeatedly on my laptop. OUCH. Yes, I have severe Tourette's Syndrome, and after the medication I've been on for the past 2 years completely ruined my life and made those 2 years a complete waste full of depression and other terrible side effects (sleeping 20 hours a day, weight gain, lack of motivation / caring about things, loss of personality and creativity, ETC.), I decided I had had enough. Sooo I went off the meds. Which was great for like 2 days.. but then my tics got INSANE and I couldn't really function. **

**Now I'm on different soul-sucking meds (GREAT), and my tics aren't fully under control yet, but I feel more creative and able to type, so hopefully I am back.**

**I strongly urge you to read this post on my tumblr about my disorder (LINK IN MY PROFILE), though I don't talk about my tics that much (I don't want to disturb people. When my friend since 2****nd**** grade came over to visit me 2 weeks ago she was literally sobbing the entire time but trying to hide it.. ugh. It's disturbing to see someone not being able to control their body… but I am much better now don't worry. I can go out in public for a bit now, haha, YAY). It would really mean a lot to me though if you'd read it if you have the time! And if you have any questions you can totally ask. I used to be afraid to talk about it… I actually hid the fact that I had it if you can believe it until maybe like a year ago (if you look at my youtube videos of my performances it's really hard to tell I have it. I didn't always have terrible, noticeable tics. That's probably why I survived high school...and Buffy helped of course… lots and lots of Buffy ;)). But now I am completely open about it.**

**(and no, I do not have the cussing / inappropriate word tic before you ask... not all TSers do. It is very rare. Read about that misconception in my tumblr post prease ;))**

**ANYWAY. Phew sorry to dump that on you. But I promise I wanted to post, I really did! And now I'm back. So here's the next chapter!**

**Oh and FUN FACT: the majority of this story was written when I skipped doses of my soul-sucking meds! I swear, that crap took away my creativity. Blech.**

**Chapter 10**

She stood in front of a giant white board, biting her lip.

"This isn't very high tech," Rick pouted as he came up behind her. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the picture of his mother.

"Well, we can't all be world famous writers," Kate offered in response, jotting down a few notes in blue marker.

"So what have we got?" Rick asked, squinting to read her handwriting. Kate pointed with the marker to a picture of a skinny looking white man, who seemed to have eyeliner on.

"We've got 3 suspects so far. Paul LaVere is the writer of a play your mother is currently in. Witnesses saw him and Martha arguing about rewriting a scene her character's in. She wanted a bigger role, and kept improvising the lines. Paul was heard telling her, 'You rewrite my script and I'll kill you.' Ryan and Esposito are bringing him in to be interviewed now." Rick's hands clenched into fists at his side.

"My mother would have probably made his play better… it sounded like a pile of crap anyway. Why would he kill her over that?"

"Relax, Rick. We've got no hard evidence that he actually killed her. He's just an initial suspect. Wait until you've got all of the information before accusing him." When she noticed he wasn't calming down, and he seemed to be clenching his jaw spastically, she put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. Her touch had the desired affect, and she continued on.

"Becky Head was the lead in the play Martha was in. Some of her other cast mates said Becky was getting angry at Martha for counseling her on how to act her role. They said Becky got so angry that she slashed Martha's tires after one rehearsal."

"I remember that," Rick said gravely. "She said it was random. I wanted to call the police, but she convinced me not to."

"Lanie's running forensics to see if the knife used to slash the tires is the same knife used to… um… kill your mother." She wrote a note in blue under Becky's picture, and continued on to a picture of an older man.

"That's Chet!" Rick exclaimed.

"Yes, Chet Hanson, Martha's old high school sweetheart." Rick gazed at the picture and then turned angrily to Kate.

"Why would you think Chet would hurt her? They had just reconnected… Alexis and I thought they might be dating again." Kate smiled sadly but was still in professional mode.

"The night of her murder, Martha and Chet were spotted at a cast party. Her friends said they had a bit to drink, and seemed happy… until around midnight. Apparently they went off to a corner and seemed to be in a heated discussion. The guests said they started arguing and yelling at each other very loudly. Martha tried to storm off but Chet grabbed her wrist. Lanie says there are bruises on her body that are in the shape of a hand print. Chet practically dragged her out of the party, and no one has seen him since then. We sent uniforms to his apartment, but he hasn't been back since before the party."

"Chet couldn't do this," Rick told her. "You must be wrong. My mother thought the world of him."

"He may not have," Kate assured him. "We'll just have to get concrete evidence to suggest otherwise. Right now he's our best bet." They sat staring at the murder board a while more.

"Hey, is there a Richard Castle here?" a young delivery boy shouted as he made his way through the precinct. Kate's head whipped toward Castle. She fixed him with a disapproving glare.

"What did you do?" she said in a low, menacing voice. Rick held up his iPhone and what looked to be a skeleton key.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…"

"Shame on_ you!" _Kate growled, leaning forward to twist his ear again but he saw it coming this time and jumped out of her reach. She wouldn't give up though, and soon he found himself dodging her between desks.

"Castle, come back here!" A low buzz of gossip seemed to follow them as they ran around the desks and bumped into a few detectives. He always managed to keep a desk length away from her though as he hopped around the room laughing.

"Don't tell me that's a freaking snow cone machine!" He grinned and stuck out his tongue. "What are you, _ten?_!"

"10 year olds don't drink espresso, Detective… or they shouldn't!" He ducked as she threw a pen at him. "Come on, try it.. you'll love it! You'll love me!" She stood, stunned, just long enough for Castle to past her into the break room where the box was waiting for him.

"Castle!" she shouted, and stormed into the break room, only to run straight into Captain Montgomery.

"Beckett!" he barked, leading Castle out by his collar. "Who is _this_?" She faltered and backed away.

"Well, Sir,"

"And don't tell me Richard Castle! Maybe you'd like to refer to him as the victim's son instead?"

"Sir, I can explain-"

"I'll explain," Rick cut in. "I'm a crime novelist, and I'm working on a new series. In addition to wanting to do some research by shadowing New York's finest Detective here, I of course wanted to help in any way I can find my mother's murder."

"Castle-" Kate warned, seeing this line of reasoning was only making the Captain angrier. Montgomery gripped Rick's collar tighter and raised him off the ground a bit.

"I spoke to the Mayor," he said, his words coming out in quick breaths. "I told him you're the best precinct so I wanted to follow you, and he agreed this would bring good publicity to the city's public workers."

"The mayor?" The Captain asked disbelievingly.

"Uh huh," Rick squeaked out, even having the nerve to smirk.

As if on cue, the Captain's phone rang in his office. He looked angrily between Kate and his office for a moment, before releasing Rick and stalking off toward his office.

"You didn't," Kate said threateningly.

"Hey, I saved your ass, just watch," Rick said smugly. He walked over to the new addition to the break room and moments later held a cup out to Kate.

"Coffee? Let me rephrase that, _good_ coffee?" She pushed the mug away and jumped as the Captain's voice boomed behind her.

"Castle, you're with Beckett for this case as a test. If you pass, we'll talk about more."

"More?" Kate exclaimed. She turned to face the Captain as her eyes widened. "Sir-"

"The way I see it, Beckett, Castle just saved your ass from _me_. But next time he won't if you don't do what I say and keep me in the loop." She could only nod as the Captain turned away. She could only stare disbelievingly as Castle ran out of the break room after the Captain with a mug in his hands.

"Captain, you've _got_ to try this espresso!"


End file.
